A New Year: Starting Fresh

Now that we are in a new year, I've set many goals for myself and my class. The new year is a great time to look over what you have done and see what you can change. I also like to use it as a time to start fresh. When the students come back from break, we begin as if it's the first day of class. We go over all the class routines and discuss the rules. Of course this takes less time than at the beginning, but I find that it helps the students to come back focused.

This year through reflection I've decided that I need to work more on our word work/ spelling. I began using the Words Their Way program in my class this year for the first time and I really like it. I haven't been doing all of the routines it suggests though. I think the students would benefit from all the weekly routines that are included in Words Their Way. I've been looking for resources and I've included some that I've found below. What spelling program do you use? How do you like it?

Words Their Way Resources:

http://educationextras.com/wordstheirway.html
http://yung.wikispaces.com/Words+Their+Way

Writer's Notebooks

Our Daily 5 is now in full swing as well as our writer's workshop.  For both work on writing and during writer's workshop, we use writer's notebooks.  This week we spent time decorating and personalizing our writer's notebooks.  I think they turned out very cute!

The idea for the notebooks came from the Daily 5 website here.  The students really enjoyed making them just the way they wanted and they are taking better care of them too!

I heart Daily 5!

Last year I discovered Daily 5 by the 2 Sisters.  I decided to start it in the middle of the year last year and saw great results, so I'm starting from the beginning of the year this year.  I think it's amazing what my first graders have been able to do and all day long I hear the question "when will it be Daily 5?"  I thought I'd share some great resources I've found online to help me with Daily5.

Mrs.Shannon's First Grade

Mrs.Wallbank.com

Daily 5 Mini-Lessons

Daily5CAFEChat

If you know any more resources I should add let me know! 

Back to School!

I have been back to school for three weeks now and it has gone by so fast!  This year I've made many changes to my classroom.  Here are some pics I'd like to share with you:

The kids are loving the rooms so far and they do very well keeping it clean.  I've moved from tables to desks this year and I allow students to choose where they sit everyday (within limits).  It has worked out very well and they seem to feel comfortable in the space.